Colitis & Me: A Story of Recovery

Rating:
Summary: Recommended!
Review: Colitis and Me is an excellent read. Raman Prasad's story of his struggle with, and eventual triumph over, colitis is a gripping tale. Prasad's narrative is such that I was able to identify with his experiences.

After reading the book, I also accessed the web site (www.scdrecipe.com). Truly excellent - have tried a couple of recipes and they turned out very well. I urge Raman Prasad to continue his literary endeavours and publish a compilation of his recipes.

Rating:
Summary: An Enthralling and Moving Read
Review: I purchased a copy of "Colitis and Me" on the recommendation of a friend. This debut novel is a truly excellent read - once I started it, I could not put it down and read through the night.

Raman Prasad's story of his battle with colitis - and his eventual triumph over the disease - is pithy, moving, heartwarming and immensely readable.

In a strange and exhilirating way, Prasad leads the reader into his reality and the suffering he experiences through high school and college. The saga is so gripping that I felt I was caught up in a thriller - and I had to know the end (thus the all-night read!). In it's effect on me, I would compare Prasad's writing with that of Jon Krakauer (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air).

I would also like to point out that the book is visually a treat - great designs and graphics which are unconventional yet completely relevant to the story Prasad narrates.

I highly recommend Prasad's book to all.

Rating:
Summary: A challenge to the medical establishment
Review: I read this book in about two days - I couldn't put it down once I had started it. I didn't immediately think I would be interested in the subject matter because I myself don't suffer from colitis, but I was completely engaged by Prasad's brave account of his life from the time he began having digestive trouble (in high school) to the moment that he figures out how to treat his condition through diet.

I was infuriated to read his accounts of doctor after doctor declaring him "healthy" after rounds of blood tests while his body was obviously malfunctioning. When Prasad begins shopping around for doctors and researching his illness on his own he discovers that the medication he was prescribed early on probably worsened his condition. This story is pertinent to anyone who has had trouble getting their health problems diagnosed (much less cured) by doctors.

Prasad offers his readers a true and honest account of his (sometimes unflattering) emotional states as he comes to terms with the enormous life change he underwent when he began suffering from colitis. By the time Prasad finds a diet that allows him to manage his digestion he has gone through denial, anger, guarded (and wild) optimism, shame, bitterness, frustration, hopelessness and hopefulness.

The book itself is a beautifully designed object. It is a real pleasure to read and I'm very happy to see that it is available on Amazon. This book deserves a wide audience.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging story for anyone
Review: I will start off by saying that I don't have colitis. I borrowed this book from a friend for a long bus trip, and I read it straight through. IBD must be a nasty affliction to have, to be sure, but that's not what kept me turning page after page. Prasad's narrative is so thoroughly engaging and intelligent that he could have been writing about someone's battle with a splinter received from a chopstick and still I would have kept reading.

Both the nature of IBD and its associated medical consequences are obviously complex and not well understood, and Prasad explains them clearly and doesn't let the explanations muddy the overall narrative. This, coupled with the wonderful design and layout of the book makes for a enjoyable read. I look forward to his next publication.

Rating:
Summary: A swift and moving narrative!
Review: I'm not much for personal stories but this was a page turner. In addition, the veil is drawn back a bit further regarding the state of medicine in this country. The facts at the end were quite good--pulling from many sources to discuss the method the author used to get better--a method discussed in a Nov 11, 2002 Wall Street Journal health article.

I'm re-working my fridge this weekend and getting my health back.

Cheers!

Rating:
Summary: a chronicle of triumph over colitis
Review: Raman Prasad's book, "Colitis & Me: A Story Of Recovery", is a moving personal memoir of seven years of agony and the eventual triumph over symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Like many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Raman faced chronic diarrhea, incredible pain, internal bleeding, and vomiting for many years. Attempting to assuage or cure his condition, the author sought medical experts and was told, "changing what you eat cannot be used to treat IBD". After years of prescriptive drugs with the dramatic side effects he describes, Raman nevertheless decided to explore diet as a means to intestinal health.

Raman explains how he found and now follows the "SCD", or Specific Carbohydrate Diet. He's been on this diet for several years, successfully maintaining a controlled remission. He now leads an active, healthy life. I met Raman in the summer of 2001, and we shared IBD and SCD stories over lunch. We both spoke of a desire to help others by writing about our experiences. I am glad to see Raman has completed this important work (I'm still working on mine!).

This book shares many personal events and accidents that most IBDers find embarrassing, undoubtedly with the hopes that others can learn from his experiences. The dramatic use of medical images and engravings reinforces the emotions and fears many face in dealing with chronic health conditions.

The book includes a foreword by Elaine Gottschall, author of "Breaking The Vicious Cycle", the primary printed resource for people wishing to learn more about the SCD. The book also contains useful Internet links to other SCD web sites, email support groups, and the author's own web site...

Rating:
Summary: A swift and moving narrative!
Review: This book has all the elements of a great non-fiction narrative - multiple scenes spanning different times, personal stories, triumph and victory over various forces, and beautiful graphics to match! This book is not only precious becuase of it's moving account of Prasad's recovery from sickness, but also becuase of the detailed design from one page to the next that complements the story and makes you want to move forward. I recommend this not only as a book to read but a book to "see" visually.

Rating:
Summary: Recommended!
Review: This is an honest book written by a talented new writer. Prasad's story is inspirational without being self-aggrandizing -- not an easy trick in telling a story about overcoming a debilitating physical condition. The author seems equally comfortable writing about pharmacology as he does about relationships with family, friends, and his own internal struggles. Whether it's an almost surreal exchange with his doctor or the depiction of a summer in Alaska, Prasad's crisp style conveys the story in a compelling way. The book design is beautifully crafted, a perfect complement to Prasad's prose.

Rating:
Summary: valuable contribution to IBD sufferers
Review: Whew! This book brought back many memories. I was also diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's) in my late teenage years. Being sick has led me down many paths (alternative medicine, bad docs, etc) and caused years of mental anguish.

Medication and diet changes have kept me fairly even the last few years. But hearing someone else's experience in detail has helped me let go of some bad memories. I also spent an entire day reading it cover to cover and walked away feeling hopeful . . .

thank you

Rating:
Summary: IF YOU HAVE INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, READ THIS BOOK!
Review: With thousands of us who are now well, thanks to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, bravo to Raman for telling his story! If you are sick and tired of the day in, day out struggle of living with inflammatory bowel disease, you owe it to yourself to read this exciting book of recovery.